Leica CL vs Sony NEX-3

The following is a extended assessment of the Leica CL and Sony NEX-3, one is a Advanced Mirrorless and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by companies Leica and Sony. There is a significant difference among the resolutions of the CL (24MP) and NEX-3 (14MP) but they feature the same exact sensor measurements (APS-C).

Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a Landslide

The CL was announced 7 years after the NEX-3 which is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of the cameras offer the identical body type (Rangefinder-style mirrorless).

Before delving straight into a comprehensive comparison, below is a short view of how the CL matches up vs the NEX-3 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Leica CL and Sony Alpha NEX-3. The whole galleries are available at Leica CL Gallery and Sony NEX-3 Gallery.

When you are intending to travel with your camera frequently, you are going to need to consider its weight and proportions. The Leica CL has got outside dimensions of 131mm x 78mm x 45mm (5.2" x 3.1" x 1.8") and a weight of 403 grams (0.89 lbs) whilst the Sony NEX-3 has measurements of 117mm x 62mm x 33mm (4.6" x 2.4" x 1.3") along with a weight of 297 grams (0.65 lbs).

Look at the Leica CL and Sony NEX-3 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you use at that time. Following is the front view sizing comparison of the CL versus the NEX-3.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the CL and NEX-3 is 82 and 89 respectively.

Usually, it is very tough to envision the gap in sensor dimensions merely by going through specifications. The picture here will provide you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the CL and NEX-3.

Plainly, each of these cameras offer the same exact sensor sizing albeit not the same megapixels. You should expect the Leica CL to provide more detail with its extra 10MP. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop shots a little more aggressively. The younger CL will have a benefit with regard to sensor technology.